Zero conditional grammar for A2 English
Last updated: 30 April 2026.
The zero conditional describes things that are always or generally true: If you heat ice, it melts. Both clauses use the present simple—not will. At A2, students often confuse it with predictions (first conditional) or over-use will after if. donehome.work now includes dedicated Zero conditional practice (see changelog: Zero conditional activity added): learners complete each sentence by choosing one of four options, with immediate feedback, and teachers can assign it from the activities catalogue like any other task.
What the activity does
From the Grammar catalogue:
- Each item is an authentic conditional sentence with one gap—usually the verb form or a logical completion that keeps if + present … present intact.
- Students work in multiple-choice (four shuffled answers), mirroring classroom worksheets and light exam-style recognition drills without the marking load.
- Pools target A2 so wording stays inside the same CEFR band as your coursebook zero-conditional units.
That structure keeps practice narrow (“Is this sentence a zero conditional, and which form fits?”) instead of drowning learners in mixed conditionals too early.
Why this activity type works well for teaching and homework
- Focused pattern: Practice attacks one conditional type—general truths, instructions, and scientific habits—so if I will / when I will errors surface and can be corrected fast.
- Recognition before risky production: Choosing among four forms is less threatening than open writing early on; accuracy improves before students write their own rules (If the light is red, you stop).
- High leverage for explanations: Contrasts nicely with future will (first conditional) in the next lesson; the MC format makes “no will in the if-clause” easy to reinforce item by item.
- Homework-ready: Assign from Zero conditional on the site, see completion in your classroom flow, and reuse the same pool next term without rebuilding PDFs.
- Short sessions: Each attempt is quick; students can do 10–15 items between classes without fatigue.
Pair with other activities to compound learning
Short mixed homework usually beats one long drill. After Zero conditional, add Sentence reordering on donehome.work: learners rebuild if-clause and main-clause order from jumbled words, which locks in syntax (comma use, clause boundaries) that MC alone does not always fix. Assign two short tasks at the same A2 level so students meet conditionals and word order in one sitting without repeating the same format.
Try it on donehome.work
- Open Activities and select Zero conditional under Grammar.
- Register as a teacher to assign it alongside Sentence reordering and track progress from your dashboard.
Further reading on our blog
For A2 learners who need solid present vs past verb forms before conditionals feel easy, see 10 Past Simple Verbs Every A2 Learner Should Know—clean tense contrast supports zero conditional sentences that stay in the present throughout.
Short recap: Zero conditional = if + present simple, present simple for facts and habits; the new MC gap activity on donehome.work gives A2 students repeatable, feedback-rich homework—best paired with Sentence reordering and supported by present / past revision from our past simple post.